Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A system for monitoring behaviors of a participant during a virtual reality environment simulation, the system comprising: a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a hardware-agnostic canvas for a virtual reality environment, wherein the hardware-agnostic canvas comprises a database of objects in the virtual reality environment and coordinates for locating the objects at a location in the virtual reality environment, and trigger information relating to a threshold and a survey question that may be triggered, and translation logic for translating the hardware-agnostic canvas into a viewer-specific format; a viewer device configured to present the virtual reality environment to the participant; and a processor in communication with the storage medium, the processor being programmed to track a gaze location with an attention tracking module, as a function of the gaze location, calculate an attention score for one or more objects in the database of objects; and when the attention score exceeds the threshold, trigger presentation of the survey question.
The system monitors participant behavior in a virtual reality (VR) environment by tracking gaze and triggering surveys based on attention thresholds. The system includes a hardware-agnostic canvas stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which defines a VR environment with objects, their coordinates, and trigger conditions. The canvas also includes survey questions linked to attention thresholds and logic to adapt the environment for different VR viewer devices. A viewer device presents the VR environment to the participant, while a processor tracks the participant's gaze location using an attention tracking module. The processor calculates an attention score for objects in the environment based on gaze duration or frequency. When an object's attention score exceeds a predefined threshold, the system triggers a survey question related to that object. This allows for dynamic, context-aware feedback collection during VR simulations, improving user engagement and data accuracy. The system is designed to work across different VR hardware by translating the hardware-agnostic canvas into viewer-specific formats.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the calculation of the attention score for a particular object in the virtual reality environment is a function of the amount of time the gaze location matches the coordinates of the particular object.
The system relates to virtual reality (VR) environments and focuses on calculating attention scores for objects within the VR space. The primary problem addressed is determining how much a user's attention is directed toward specific objects in a VR environment, which is crucial for applications like user interaction tracking, adaptive content delivery, or gaze-based interfaces. The system calculates an attention score for each object by analyzing the user's gaze location. Specifically, the attention score for a particular object is determined based on the duration for which the user's gaze aligns with the object's coordinates. This means the longer a user looks at an object, the higher its attention score. The system may also incorporate additional factors, such as gaze fixation duration, frequency of gaze returns, or object proximity, to refine the attention score calculation. By quantifying attention in this way, the system enables dynamic adjustments in VR environments, such as prioritizing objects with higher attention scores for interaction or modifying content based on user focus. This approach improves user engagement and personalization in VR applications. The system is particularly useful in scenarios where understanding user attention is critical, such as training simulations, educational tools, or immersive gaming experiences.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the calculation of the attention score for a particular object in the virtual reality environment is a function of the number of times the gaze location matches the coordinates of the particular object.
This invention relates to virtual reality (VR) systems that track user attention by calculating attention scores for objects in a VR environment. The problem addressed is the need to accurately measure and quantify how much a user focuses on specific objects within a VR space, which is useful for applications like user behavior analysis, adaptive content delivery, or interactive training. The system includes a VR headset with gaze-tracking capabilities to determine where the user is looking within the virtual environment. The system identifies objects in the VR space and assigns coordinates to each object. As the user interacts with the environment, the system continuously tracks the user's gaze location and compares it to the coordinates of the objects. The attention score for a particular object is calculated based on how frequently the user's gaze aligns with that object's coordinates. A higher attention score indicates greater user focus on that object. The system may also adjust the attention score based on additional factors, such as the duration of gaze fixation or the proximity of the gaze location to the object's center. This allows for more refined attention measurement, distinguishing between brief glances and sustained focus. The calculated attention scores can then be used to modify the VR environment dynamically, such as highlighting frequently viewed objects or prioritizing content based on user interest. This approach improves user engagement and personalization in VR applications.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the calculation of the attention score for a particular object in the virtual reality environment is a function of the distance between the gaze location and the coordinates of the particular object.
This invention relates to virtual reality (VR) systems that dynamically adjust attention-based interactions within a virtual environment. The core problem addressed is the need for VR systems to accurately determine user focus on virtual objects to enhance interaction, rendering efficiency, and user experience. The system calculates an attention score for each object in the VR environment based on the user's gaze location and the object's coordinates. The attention score is a function of the distance between the gaze location and the object, meaning objects closer to the gaze point receive higher attention scores. This allows the system to prioritize rendering, interaction, or other processing tasks for objects the user is likely focusing on, improving performance and realism. The system may also incorporate additional factors, such as object size, movement, or user interaction history, to refine attention scoring. By dynamically adjusting system resources based on attention, the invention optimizes VR performance while maintaining immersive experiences. The technology is particularly useful in applications requiring real-time interaction, such as gaming, training simulations, or collaborative virtual environments.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the objects comprise: setting objects for defining the virtual reality environment and environment objects representing objects of interest in a study.
This invention relates to a virtual reality (VR) system designed for research or educational applications, particularly for studying user interactions with virtual environments. The system includes a VR environment populated with different types of objects to facilitate analysis. Setting objects define the structure and parameters of the virtual reality environment, such as spatial boundaries, lighting conditions, and interactive elements that shape the overall experience. Environment objects represent specific items or entities of interest within the study, such as physical objects, avatars, or simulated scenarios that users engage with. These objects are used to observe and measure user behavior, cognitive responses, or other metrics relevant to the study. The system enables researchers to configure and manipulate these objects to create controlled experimental conditions, allowing for precise data collection and analysis in a virtual setting. By distinguishing between setting objects and environment objects, the system provides flexibility in designing studies while ensuring that the virtual environment accurately reflects real-world or hypothetical scenarios for research purposes. This approach enhances the reproducibility and validity of findings in VR-based studies.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the attention tracking module collects gaze data regarding an amount of time spent with the gaze location matching each of the environment objects.
A system for monitoring and analyzing attention in an environment tracks gaze data to determine how long a user's gaze aligns with specific objects in the environment. The system includes an attention tracking module that captures gaze data, identifying the duration for which the user's gaze remains focused on each object. This module operates in conjunction with a gaze detection system that identifies the location of the user's gaze within the environment. The system may also include an object recognition module that identifies and categorizes objects in the environment, allowing the attention tracking module to correlate gaze data with specific objects. The collected gaze data is used to quantify attention distribution, enabling applications such as user behavior analysis, advertising effectiveness measurement, or user interface optimization. The system may further include a data processing module that analyzes the gaze data to generate insights, such as identifying which objects attract the most attention or determining patterns in user engagement. By tracking gaze duration for each object, the system provides a detailed understanding of how users interact with their surroundings, improving decision-making in fields like marketing, education, and human-computer interaction.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the translation logic translates the gaze data collected by the attention tracking module into a hardware-agnostic format.
The system involves an attention tracking system designed to monitor and analyze user focus, particularly in environments where gaze tracking is used to infer attention or intent. The core problem addressed is the lack of interoperability between different gaze tracking hardware devices, which often produce proprietary or incompatible data formats. This incompatibility hinders the integration of gaze tracking data into broader applications, such as user interface adaptation, accessibility tools, or behavioral analytics. The system includes an attention tracking module that collects gaze data from one or more users. This module may use various hardware, such as eye-tracking cameras or sensors, to capture gaze information. The collected data is then processed by translation logic, which converts the raw gaze data into a standardized, hardware-agnostic format. This translation ensures that the gaze data can be seamlessly integrated with other systems or applications, regardless of the original hardware source. The standardized format allows for consistent interpretation and analysis of gaze patterns across different devices and platforms. By providing a unified data format, the system enables developers to build applications that leverage gaze tracking without being constrained by specific hardware limitations. This enhances flexibility, scalability, and compatibility in attention tracking systems, making them more versatile for diverse use cases.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein: the storage medium further stores translation mapping information, the translation mapping information comprising display information for a plurality of different types of viewer devices, and the translation logic accesses the translation mapping information to translate the hardware-agnostic canvas into the viewer-specific format suitable for the viewer device in real time during the virtual reality environment simulation.
This invention relates to virtual reality (VR) systems that generate and display immersive environments across different viewer devices. The core challenge addressed is ensuring consistent and optimized rendering of VR content on diverse hardware platforms, each with varying display capabilities and processing power. The system includes a storage medium that holds translation mapping information, which contains display parameters for multiple device types. This mapping data enables real-time conversion of a hardware-agnostic canvas—a standardized representation of the VR environment—into a viewer-specific format tailored to the capabilities of the end user's device. The translation logic dynamically accesses this mapping during VR simulation to ensure seamless adaptation without requiring pre-configuration for each device type. This approach allows the same VR content to be rendered efficiently across smartphones, headsets, and other devices, maintaining visual fidelity and performance. The system eliminates the need for device-specific content creation, reducing development complexity while ensuring broad compatibility. The real-time translation ensures that users experience optimized visuals regardless of their hardware, enhancing accessibility and scalability of VR applications.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware-agnostic canvas comprises vector image data for rendering an object of the hardware-agnostic canvas in the virtual reality environment.
A system for rendering objects in a virtual reality (VR) environment includes a hardware-agnostic canvas that enables consistent display across different VR devices. The canvas comprises vector image data, which allows objects to be rendered with scalable and resolution-independent graphics. This approach ensures that the visual fidelity of the objects remains high regardless of the display capabilities of the VR hardware being used. The vector-based rendering supports dynamic adjustments to object properties, such as size, shape, and texture, without degrading quality. The system also includes a virtual reality environment that processes the vector image data to generate a three-dimensional representation of the objects, providing an immersive experience for users. The hardware-agnostic design allows the system to function across various VR platforms, eliminating the need for device-specific optimizations. This solution addresses the challenge of maintaining visual consistency in VR applications when deployed on diverse hardware configurations.
10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: manipulate, in real time, a hardware-agnostic canvas for a virtual reality environment, wherein: the hardware-agnostic canvas comprises a database of objects to be placed in the virtual reality environment, and the database further comprises trigger information relating to a threshold and a survey question that may be triggered; apply translation logic to translate the hardware-agnostic canvas into a viewer-specific format, transmit virtual reality environment information in the viewer-specific format to a viewer; track a gaze location with an attention tracking module, as a function of the gaze location, calculate an attention score for one or more objects in the database of objects; and when the attention score exceeds the threshold, trigger presentation of the survey question.
This invention relates to virtual reality (VR) environments and addresses the challenge of dynamically engaging users based on their attention to specific objects. The system uses a hardware-agnostic canvas, a database of objects, and associated trigger information to create an interactive VR experience. The canvas includes objects to be placed in the VR environment, along with trigger conditions such as thresholds and survey questions that can be activated based on user behavior. The system applies translation logic to convert the hardware-agnostic canvas into a viewer-specific format, ensuring compatibility with different VR devices. It transmits the VR environment information to the viewer and tracks their gaze location using an attention tracking module. Based on the gaze location, the system calculates an attention score for objects in the database. When the attention score exceeds a predefined threshold, the system triggers the presentation of a survey question, prompting user interaction. This approach enables real-time adaptation of the VR environment based on user attention, enhancing engagement and data collection. The hardware-agnostic design ensures broad compatibility, while the dynamic triggering of surveys allows for context-aware user feedback. The system improves user experience by personalizing content delivery and gathering insights into user preferences.
11. The medium of claim 10 , wherein the calculation of the attention score for a particular object in the virtual reality environment is a function of the amount of time the gaze location matches the coordinates of the particular object.
This invention relates to virtual reality (VR) systems that track user attention by calculating attention scores for objects in a VR environment. The problem addressed is the need for accurate and dynamic assessment of user focus on virtual objects to improve interaction, personalization, and content delivery in VR applications. The system calculates an attention score for each object in the VR environment based on the user's gaze location. Specifically, the attention score for a particular object is determined by the duration of time the user's gaze aligns with the object's coordinates. This means the longer a user looks at an object, the higher its attention score. The system may also adjust the attention score based on additional factors, such as the object's relevance or the user's interaction history. The invention includes a method for processing gaze data from a VR headset or eye-tracking device to detect when the user's gaze intersects with an object's coordinates. The system then computes the attention score by aggregating the time spent gazing at the object. This data can be used to prioritize objects, adapt content dynamically, or enhance user engagement in VR applications. The invention may also involve storing and analyzing attention scores over time to refine user preferences or improve VR content recommendations.
12. The medium of claim 10 , wherein the calculation of the attention score for a particular object in the virtual reality environment is a function of the number of times the gaze location matches the coordinates of the particular object.
This invention relates to virtual reality (VR) systems that track user attention by analyzing gaze data to determine engagement with objects in a virtual environment. The problem addressed is the need for an accurate and efficient method to quantify how often a user focuses on specific objects in VR, which is useful for applications like user behavior analysis, adaptive content delivery, or interactive training. The system involves a VR environment where objects are positioned with known coordinates. A gaze-tracking device records the user's gaze location within the virtual space. The invention calculates an attention score for each object by counting how many times the gaze location aligns with the object's coordinates. This score reflects the frequency of user focus on that object, providing a measurable metric of engagement. The system may also adjust the attention score based on additional factors, such as the duration of gaze fixation or the proximity of the gaze to the object's center. The invention improves upon prior methods by simplifying the attention calculation, reducing computational overhead, and providing a direct, quantifiable measure of user interaction with virtual objects. This approach is particularly valuable in applications where understanding user attention patterns is critical, such as educational VR simulations, marketing analytics, or accessibility assessments. The method ensures real-time or near-real-time processing, making it suitable for dynamic VR environments where user engagement must be monitored continuously.
13. The medium of claim 10 , wherein the calculation of the attention score for a particular object is a function of the distance between the gaze location and the coordinates of the particular object.
The invention relates to gaze tracking systems that analyze visual attention by calculating attention scores for objects in a user's field of view. The problem addressed is accurately determining which objects a user is focusing on based on gaze data, particularly in environments with multiple objects. The system captures gaze location data from a user and identifies objects within the scene. For each object, an attention score is computed based on the spatial relationship between the gaze location and the object's coordinates. The attention score quantifies how likely the user is attending to that object, with proximity to the gaze location increasing the score. This allows the system to prioritize objects that are more likely to be the focus of the user's attention. The method can be applied in various applications, such as human-computer interaction, advertising, or accessibility tools, where understanding visual attention is critical. The invention improves upon prior systems by incorporating a dynamic, distance-based scoring mechanism that adapts to the user's gaze position in real time.
14. The medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to: access translation mapping information, the translation mapping information comprising display information for a plurality of different types of viewers, and using the translation mapping information to translate the hardware-agnostic canvas into the viewer-specific format.
This invention relates to a system for generating and displaying hardware-agnostic graphical content across multiple viewer devices. The problem addressed is the difficulty of rendering graphical content consistently across different display devices with varying capabilities, such as resolution, color depth, and input methods. The solution involves a hardware-agnostic canvas that abstracts the underlying display hardware, allowing content to be rendered uniformly regardless of the viewer device's specifications. The system includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions. When executed, the instructions cause the processor to generate a hardware-agnostic canvas, which is a standardized representation of graphical content independent of specific display hardware. The system then accesses translation mapping information, which contains display-specific configurations for different types of viewers, such as mobile devices, desktops, or specialized displays. Using this mapping, the hardware-agnostic canvas is translated into a viewer-specific format, ensuring optimal rendering on each device. This approach simplifies content creation and distribution by eliminating the need for device-specific adjustments, while maintaining visual consistency across diverse hardware. The system may also include additional features, such as dynamic updates to the translation mapping information to accommodate new viewer devices or changes in display capabilities.
15. The medium of claim 14 , wherein the hardware-agnostic canvas is translated into the viewer-specific format in real time as a viewer displays the virtual reality environment.
A system and method for rendering virtual reality (VR) environments across diverse hardware platforms without requiring platform-specific content creation. The technology addresses the challenge of developing VR content that must be compatible with multiple viewer devices, each having different display capabilities, rendering pipelines, and performance constraints. The solution involves a hardware-agnostic canvas that abstracts the underlying hardware differences, allowing content creators to design VR experiences without worrying about device-specific optimizations. This canvas is dynamically translated into a viewer-specific format in real time as the VR environment is displayed, ensuring optimal performance and visual fidelity on any supported device. The translation process accounts for variations in display resolution, field of view, refresh rates, and rendering capabilities, enabling seamless adaptation to different hardware configurations. The system may also include a content management module to organize and distribute VR assets efficiently, and a rendering engine that processes the translated content for display. By decoupling content creation from hardware constraints, the technology simplifies VR development and enhances cross-platform compatibility.
16. A method, comprising the steps of: accessing, using a processor of an electronic device, a hardware-agnostic canvas for a virtual reality environment, wherein the hardware-agnostic canvas comprises: a plurality of objects to be placed in the virtual reality environment, coordinates for locating the objects in the virtual reality environment, trigger information relating to a threshold, and a survey question that may be triggered; tracking a participant's gaze location with an attention tracking module; as a function of the gaze location, calculating an attention score in relation to a target object in the database of objects; and when the attention score exceeds the threshold, trigger presentation of the survey question.
This invention relates to virtual reality (VR) environments and addresses the challenge of dynamically assessing user engagement with specific objects in VR. The method involves using an electronic device to access a hardware-agnostic canvas, which is a virtual space that can be rendered across different VR hardware platforms. The canvas includes a set of objects, their spatial coordinates for placement in the VR environment, trigger conditions based on attention thresholds, and survey questions that can be activated under certain conditions. The method tracks a participant's gaze location using an attention tracking module, which monitors where the user is looking within the VR environment. Based on the gaze data, an attention score is calculated to measure how much focus the participant is giving to a target object. If the attention score surpasses a predefined threshold, a survey question is automatically triggered and presented to the participant. This allows for real-time feedback collection based on user engagement levels, enabling adaptive interactions within the VR environment. The system is designed to work independently of specific hardware, ensuring compatibility across different VR devices. The method enhances user experience by dynamically responding to attention patterns, making VR environments more interactive and personalized.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the tracking comprises: tracking the gaze location relative to the target object with: first eye-tracking hardware in a virtual reality headset; second eye-tracking hardware in the attention tracking module; and receiving data, at a server, based on data output by the first and second eye-tracking hardware, sufficient to determine the gaze location relative to the target object.
This invention relates to gaze tracking in virtual reality (VR) systems, addressing the challenge of accurately determining a user's gaze location relative to a target object in immersive environments. The method involves using multiple eye-tracking hardware components to enhance tracking precision. A VR headset includes first eye-tracking hardware to monitor the user's gaze within the virtual environment. Additionally, an attention tracking module, separate from the headset, contains second eye-tracking hardware to provide supplementary gaze data. The system collects data from both hardware sources and transmits it to a server. The server processes this combined data to determine the user's gaze location relative to the target object, improving accuracy by cross-referencing inputs from the headset and the external module. This dual-tracking approach helps mitigate errors caused by headset limitations, such as occlusion or calibration drift, ensuring more reliable gaze tracking in VR applications. The method is particularly useful for applications requiring precise attention measurement, such as training simulations, user interface interactions, or market research in virtual environments.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the calculation of the attention score for a particular object in the virtual reality environment is a function of the amount of time the gaze location matches the coordinates of the particular object.
In the field of virtual reality (VR) systems, accurately determining user attention to objects within a virtual environment is critical for adaptive content delivery, user interaction tracking, and personalized experiences. A method addresses this by calculating an attention score for objects in a VR environment based on gaze tracking data. The method involves monitoring the user's gaze location within the virtual space and comparing it to the coordinates of objects in the environment. The attention score for a particular object is derived from the duration that the user's gaze aligns with the object's coordinates. This approach quantifies user engagement by measuring how long the user focuses on specific objects, enabling the system to prioritize or adapt content based on attention patterns. The method may also incorporate additional factors, such as object proximity or user interaction history, to refine the attention score calculation. By dynamically assessing attention, the system can enhance user experience through targeted content delivery, improved interaction design, and more effective VR applications.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the calculation of the attention score for a particular object in the virtual reality environment is a function of the number of times the gaze location matches the coordinates of the particular object.
This invention relates to virtual reality (VR) systems that track user attention by analyzing gaze data to determine engagement with objects in a virtual environment. The core problem addressed is accurately measuring user focus on specific objects in VR to improve interaction, personalization, or analytics. The method involves tracking a user's gaze location within the VR environment and calculating an attention score for each object based on how frequently the gaze aligns with the object's coordinates. Higher scores indicate greater user interest. The system may also adjust the attention score based on additional factors, such as the duration of gaze fixation or the proximity of the gaze to the object's center. This allows for more nuanced attention modeling beyond simple gaze matching. The method can be integrated into VR applications like training simulations, marketing analytics, or adaptive interfaces, where understanding user focus is critical. By quantifying attention, the system enables dynamic adjustments, such as prioritizing objects with high attention scores or modifying content based on engagement patterns. The approach improves upon traditional gaze-tracking methods by incorporating contextual and temporal data to refine attention measurement.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the calculation of the attention score for a particular object in the virtual reality environment is a function of the distance between the gaze location and the coordinates of the particular object.
In the field of virtual reality (VR) systems, accurately determining user attention to objects within a virtual environment is critical for enhancing interactivity and immersion. A key challenge is dynamically assessing which objects a user is focusing on based on their gaze direction and other contextual factors. This invention addresses this problem by calculating an attention score for objects in a VR environment, where the score is derived from the spatial relationship between the user's gaze location and the object's coordinates. The attention score quantifies how closely the user's gaze aligns with an object's position, enabling the system to prioritize or modify interactions with objects based on perceived attention. The method involves tracking the user's gaze direction within the virtual space and computing the distance between the gaze point and each object's coordinates. Objects closer to the gaze location receive higher attention scores, indicating greater likelihood of user focus. This approach allows the VR system to adaptively respond to user attention, improving the realism and responsiveness of virtual interactions. The technique can be integrated into broader VR applications, such as gaming, training simulations, or augmented reality, to enhance user engagement by dynamically adjusting content or interactions based on real-time attention metrics.
Unknown
March 24, 2020
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.